In the inaugural episode of EMS Clinical Brief, Maia Dorsett and Shane O'Donnell are joined by Jeff Jarvis for a candid, high-level conversation on patient-centered airway management. Framed by lessons from the NEMSQA Airway Collaborative, the discussion challenges long-held assumptions about airway success—moving beyond “getting the tube” to asking what actually improves patient outcomes. Through real-world examples, debate, and reflection on past missteps, the group explores how EMS culture, training, and system design have historically prioritized procedures over physiology. They unpack the tension between clinician identity and patient need, examine the risks of hypoxia and hypotension during airway interventions, and highlight how thoughtful metrics and policies can reshape practice.

Free CAPCE-accredited CE available for this episode until 5/29/26 via Prodigy EMS: https://frontend.prodigyems.com/class/A891C65B-832F-41A7-A6B3-F4CB79126B6A?tab=overview

References discussed:

1. Dorsett, M., Cooper, R. J., Taira, B. R., Wilkes, E., & Hoffman, J. R. (2020). Bringing value, balance and humanity to the emergency department: The Right Care Top 10 for emergency medicine. Emergency Medicine Journal, 37(4), 240-245.
2. Jarvis, J. L., Panchal, A. R., Lyng, J. W., Bosson, N., Donofrio-Odmann, J. J., Braude, D. A., ... & Sholl, J. M. (2024).Evidenced Based Guidelines for Prehospital Airway Management Prehospital Emergency Care, 28(4), 545-557.
3. Spaite, D. W., Hu, C., Bobrow, B. J., Chikani, V., Gaither, J. B., Barnhart, B., ... & Keim, S. M. (2017). Effect of Prehospital Hypoxia “Depth-Duration Dose” on Mortality in Major Traumatic Brain Injury. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 53(3), 443.
4. Vithalani, V. D., Vlk, S., Davis, S. Q., & Richmond, N. J. (2017). Unrecognized failed airway management using a supraglottic airway device. Resuscitation, 119, 1-4.
5. Jarvis, J. L., Jarvis, S. E., & Kennel, J. (2025). The association between out-of-hospital drug-assisted airway management approach and intubation first-pass success. Annals of Emergency Medicine.
6. Robinson, A. E., Knack, S. K., Driver, B. E., Prekker, M. E., Perlmutter, M. C., Bunting, A. J., ... & Puskarich, M. A. (2025). Trends in Prehospital First-Attempt Use of Supraglottic Airways in Non-Cardiac Arrest Patients: A Descriptive Study. Prehospital Emergency Care, 1-8.
7. Jabre, P., Penaloza, A., Pinero, D., Duchateau, F. X., Borron, S. W., Javaudin, F., ... & Adnet, F. (2018). Effect of bag-mask ventilation vs endotracheal intubation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation on neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiorespiratory arrest: a randomized clinical trial. Jama, 319(8), 779-787.
8. Do it For Drew Foundation: https://www.doitfordrew.org/